Re: About That “inetpub” Folder ...

If you google 'inetpub file on win11' you'll see that it was created by the April patch update:
"The inetpub folder in Windows 11 is a security measure created by the April 2025 Patch Tuesday update to address the CVE-2025-21204 vulnerability. This folder is tied to Internet Information Services (IIS), Microsoft's web server, but it's created regardless of whether IIS is enabled. Microsoft strongly advises users not to delete this folder as it's crucial for system security."
Richard
On 6/9/2025 7:58 PM, Lawrence D'Oliveiro wrote:

Lately, a mysterious empty folder called “inetpub” has been appearing
on Windows machines after recent Microsoft security updates. Some were
old enough to remember that this folder was part of the installation
of Internet Information Server, which was Microsoft’s attempt to
compete with the open-source heavyweights in the web server world. It
was a product that was infamous for its security vulnerabilities, so
when people saw this familiar name reappear out of the dead past, it
was no surprise that some went “Aieeee! Security hole! Delete!
Delete!”.
 But it turns out that this is no bug, it’s a feature! It is somehow a
required part of Microsoft’s current security mechanisms for Windows.
(How? Why? Nobody seems able to explain ...) And not only that, if you
delete it (accidentally or otherwise), you cannot simply fix things by
recreating a folder in the same location with the same name.
 Instead, you have to go through the rigmarole of downloading and
running some PowerShell script that Microsoft helpfully provides
<https://www.tomshardware.com/software/windows/if-you-deleted-that-mysterious-windows-file-microsoft-told-you-not-to-theres-a-new-script-to-restore-it>.
 Even running the script is not a straightforward process: it requires
the entry of several cumbersome and error-prone shell commands.